If I talk about politics or China, someone is sure to mention the Chinese general, strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War. Many can even quote one of his most famous rules: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” So, I thought I would write an article about Sun Tsu. I learned about him at school, taught mainly as Mao Zedong thought, and how he used it to defeat the Guomindang. It might be of some interest to FSB readers, as it seems to me that Western Establishments, who admire modern China so much, are using Sun Tsu’s rules in a war against their own people, which they obviously treat as enemies.
First a little about Sun Tzu, revered in China as a legendary military figure. His real name is Sun Wu. The more common Sun Tzu is an honorific, meaning ‘Master Sun’ or ‘Sage Sun’. But to avoid confusion I will call him Sun Tzu.
He was born in 545 BC in Qi State in the late Spring and Autumn Period of China’s history and died in 470 BC. (Qi is pronounced like Chi.) He was born into a noble family, his father an official second only to the King of Qi. His education included reading the ancient military classic “Military Administration” and of the Yellow Emperor’s defeat of the Four Emperors.
Wars were frequent and mergers were fierce at that time. Sun Tzu’s grandfather and father were both generals who led troops in battle. Sun Tzu left Qi and went to Wu State, as Qi was full of internal conflicts and crises. Wu had joined forces with Jin State in a war against Chu State. Wu was strong and prosperous, and the ambitious Sun Tzu defected to it to further his career. He concentrated on studying the art of war, conducting in-depth research on strategies and tactics to produce his book, The Art of War around 512 BC when he was 33 years old.
During this period he met Wu Zixu, a military genius and former minister of Chu, who had also defected to Wu and who put many of the ideas found in The Art of War into practice.
Wu Zixu proposed an expedition against Chu be planned and commanded by Sun Tzu. The King of Wu agreed – if Sun Tzu could train his palace maidens as soldiers. Sun Tzu divided them into two teams and appointed the King’s most favoured concubines as team captains.
But the maidens misbehaved, and did not listen to orders. They laughed loudly at them and caused chaos. Sun Tzu decided to kill the two captains, according to military law. The King asked him to pardon them, but Sun replied “Since I have been ordered to be a general, I will not accept your orders” and killed the two concubines.
After that the palace maidens behaved themselves and followed orders, moving forward, backward, left and right, kneeling, climbing and rolling in line with orders in a neat and tidy formation.
Under Sun Tsu’s strict training the quality of the Wu army improved greatly, and it went on to destroy the states of Zhongwu and Xu. The King of Wu wanted to take advantage of the victory to attack Chu, but Sun Tzu instead proposed a strategy of “weakening and misleading Chu”. He then harassed Chu for six years, making the Chu army think that Wu only dared to harass but not attack, and so let down its guard.
In 506 B.C Chu attacked Cai, a small state that had already submitted to Wu. Sun Tsu and Wu Zixu commanded 30,000 elite soldiers up the Huai River. The Chu army retreated to the Han River, but Sun Tsu suddenly changed direction and plunged into central Chu to attack from behind.
Sun Tzu selected his bravest 3,500 soldiers and in short order the Chu capital was captured. Sun Tzu then attacked Chu’s 200,000 strong army with his 30,000 men and won a complete victory. All in the space of ten days.
Sun Tzu led the Wu army in more wars, gaining Wu hegemon status. But for reasons of weak leadership and political intrigue, Wu State later collapsed. The king of Wu became arrogant and followed the advice of his treacherous officials to kill Wu Zixu. Sun Tzu then retired to the mountains and forests to revise the Art of War, dying in 470 BC at the age of 75.
The Art of War comprises thirteen short rules that embody Sun Tzu’s complete military ideological system. Here are some relevant quotations:
- He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
- In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.
- Victorious warriors win first and then go to war.
- The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.
- You have to believe in yourself.
- The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy so that he cannot fathom our real intent.
- Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
- The skillful tactician may be likened to the shuai-jan, a snake found in the Ch'ang mountains. Strike at its head, and you will be attacked by its tail; strike at its tail, and you will be attacked by its head; strike at its middle, and you will be attacked by head and tail both.
- If you fight with all your might, there is a chance of life; whereas death is certain if you cling to your corner.
- Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm.
- To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
- Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.
- All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.
- If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared; appear where you are not expected.
- To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.
- Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.
- The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."
The Art of War has become a guide for strategy in various fields like business, sports and politics. The western political establishment appears to be using it as a guide in implementing the Globalist Agenda.
To rise to power, a group begins with the meticulous planning advocated by Sun Tsu, considering all variables and potential obstacles. Crucially, it needs to cultivate a loyal following, achieved by propaganda, promises of reform, and by exploiting existing discontent. This is seen in the creation of the Woke Left, groups like BLM, Stop Oil and imported factions like the Islamist.
This followed by divide and conquer. By creating divisions among opponents, a dictator weakens collective strength through misinformation, fostering rivalries, and creating and exploiting existing tensions. Examples are the Climate controversy, the divisions sown in ReformUK and the promotion of Islamism. Mass immigration and multiculturalism are part of this strategy.
Through the unfit for purpose election system, controlled exclusively by the Woke Left, the Woke Dictatorship gains control over financial and military resources, as seen in the collusion between government and big corporations like Blackrock and the western Oligarchs, and the wokification of the military.
Following Sun Tzu's dictum, a would-be dictator should engage in overt and covert battles for power. The proxy war against Russia and the mostly fake one against China are overt. But many battles are covert like that on free speech and especially the drive to transfer wealth and property away from the people into the grasping hands of the Corporatist State. Examples are inflation, the war on landlords, punitive taxation, especially capital gains and inheritance taxes.
Sun Tzu advocated quick and decisive action to catch the enemy off guard, making bold moves that leave opponents scrambling to respond. We saw this in the ruthless response to protests against the Southport murders and in the covid lockdowns.
An important part of Sun Tsu’s philosophy is psychological warfare, and we know that the Globalists use military-based nudge units, trained in this. Manipulating public perception and the morale of opponents is critical. A key tactic is for the State to portray itself as a saviour and to demonise its enemies, like the Establishment did after the Southport disturbances and does with Tommy Robinson.
Morale is attacked by the constant denigration of all things British, especially prevalent in the State broadcaster, the BBC, and by the constant refrain of ‘it’s too late. Nothing can be done, we are finished.’
Sun Tsu emphasised The Power of Relationships and the importance of alliances with powerful groups like banks and individuals like Soros, who can provide the necessary support to gain and hold power. Some alliances should, he said, be viewed as expendable once they have served their purpose. The Establishment – Muslim alliance is an interesting example and, of course, the Far-left foot soldiers in activist groups are expendable.
Exploiting and identifying the weaknesses of allies and enemies, to create strategic advantages is another tactic. This might involve blackmail, bribery, or other forms of manipulation. Many find the sudden enrichment of Tony Blair hard to explain, as well as Boris Johnson’s betrayal and sudden conversion to Climate Cult orthodoxy.
Even within alliances, the Globalist dictatorship must ensure it remains the dominant force, achieved through surveillance, loyalty tests, purges of potential threats and the honours system. We see this in the cancelling of people previously thought to be loyally woke, like the lady who wrote the Harry Potter books.
Sun Tzu emphasizes the importance of adaptability, being flexible and willing to change tactics as circumstances evolve. We see this in the slight changes in attitude on things like free speech, taxation and mass immigration. Occasionally the current flows the other way for a while, but it soon reverses and resumes its course.
A dictator must be vigilant and ready to respond to any threats to their power, whether from internal dissent or external pressures. They have a huge arsenal for this, ranging from the Salisbury Skripal move, to vilification in the collaborationist MSM. Innovative tactics are employed to keep opponents off balance. This might involve technology, social media, or other modern tools to maintain control. One example is a central bank digital currency, now being prepared.
The Art of War advocates the use of deception and manipulation, of both enemies and allies. Creating false threats and crises, like the supposed threat from Russia, the covid scandal and the hysteria following the Southport protests and using them to justify draconian measures or rally public support.
Allowing a controlled opposition to exist is another tactic, in our case to create the illusion of democracy while ensuring that true dissent is kept in check. Spreading misinformation can confuse and demoralize opponents, making it easier to maintain control.
Sun Tzu's The Art of War offers timeless wisdom that can be applied to various aspects of life, including the pursuit of political power. For a would-be dictator, these principles provide a comprehensive guide to gaining and maintaining control. However, it is important to remember that the use of such strategies for dictatorial purposes invariably leads to suffering and oppression. So, as Sun Tzu said, know your enemy. Maybe we can also use his ideas to fight back?